Anyone have tech for tracking new releases?

tapar · 01-29-2010, 06:34 PM

Howdy,

I was wondering if anyone knows of any applications or websites that will notify you when authors you like come out with new books?

Three times in the past month I have found out that authors I liked had released new books and I could have read them weeks earlier. I am following to many authors to track them all by memory at this point and am looking for a good solution.

It feels like this should exist and I just don't know about it yet. You would think a site like amazon or something would have something like this, or that there would be a phone app. Any tips of programs or sites to check out would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

Pardoz · 01-29-2010, 06:42 PM

Amazon sorta-kinda does this, although I don't think you can pick a specific author (although if you've bought or rated a lot of work by that author you'll probably get notifications about them). Fictionwise will email you alerts about new releases from selected authors, but only for books available from Fictionwise - I'm sure other stores do the same. Similarly some publishers put out weekly or monthly newsletters of upcoming releases, but that only works if you know that [author]'s new book is coming out from [publisher].

A one-stop solution, ideally for both electronic and paper releases, would be really nice.

BeccaAnn · 01-29-2010, 07:13 PM

The Sony will let you choose which author you would notification if an ebook is added to their store, but this won't help you since you have a Kindle. Before getting a Sony Reader, I would check Amazon about once a month for upcoming releases of my favorite authors. They were more up to date than author websites or publishers. Then I would write the release down in my daily planner, that way I knew when they were released and budget for them. This is just the low tech way, since I know of no technical way.

dioib · 01-29-2010, 07:18 PM

I'd heard there are some web services that notify you when a page changes. Assuming this is true, couldn't you give a certain author's books webpage (somewhere like Amazon) and get alerts on updates?

tapar · 01-29-2010, 08:39 PM

I have been doing it by checking the author's pages on amazon, but I forgot to check some of my favorite authors. I tried google alerts, but I got too much info so it wasn't particularly useful.

It seems like the stores/publishers/authors would want something like this out there too. I would say it might not affect people who don't read that many authors, but one of the books I missed was in a series I am very addicted too (write faster JD Robb!).

It doesn't sound technically hard to do, I think the problem would be gathering the data itself. I could see store specific versions, though a generic version would be more useful. I snagged the sony store software and am trying to see what it offers in this area. It wouldn't be perfect as they don't have all the same books as amazon, but it would be better than nothing.

Someone should write an android/iphone app or get GoodReads or Calibre to add the feature.

guyanonymous · 01-29-2010, 08:47 PM

I've gotten in the habit of just checking fantasticfiction's list of new releases. I find it more comprehensive and convenient than Amazon most of the time. Of course, not all of those are ebooks, but I simply add them to my wish list.

dioib · 01-29-2010, 09:13 PM

Yep! I was about to say the same thing guyanonymous said; although I found it via google hitting this page (didn't know before).

Terisa de morgan · 01-30-2010, 04:32 AM

Thank you very much, I have the same problem, and although I try to check, there's always a mistake.

tapar · 01-31-2010, 08:47 AM

Thanks for the fantasticfiction tips, I never thought to use the RSS feeds to get some clues. I still want an option that gives more control and differentiates between pre-order and release availability, but the FF site should make the manual tracking a bit easier. Thanks again!

ctol · 01-31-2010, 10:14 AM

tapar, you might check to see if either of these sites might be what you are looking for.

http://www.crocodile.org/authorrss.html

http://www.powells.com/info/notification.html

tapar · 02-03-2010, 04:18 PM

Thanks for the suggestions! I wanted to pass one that I heard about over at goodreads. it is called http://www.crapimissedit.com/ and it lets you set an email address to be notified at when a particular author has new book info on amazon.com. It can also be configured to notify you about concerts, tv shows, ect. I am not sure how well it works yet or if it can tell the difference between a pre-order and an actual release...but it is a cool concept.

guyanonymous · 02-03-2010, 04:24 PM

Powells, though I've only visited once, remains my favorite bookstore. I loved how the new/used were mixed together, at least in the photography section I spent most of my time. Thanks for the link!

01-29-2010, 06:34 PM	#1
tapar Connoisseur Posts: 62 Karma: 1420 Join Date: Dec 2008 Device: Kindle Keyboard 3g, Kindle Paperwhite v1	Anyone have tech for tracking new releases? Howdy, I was wondering if anyone knows of any applications or websites that will notify you when authors you like come out with new books? Three times in the past month I have found out that authors I liked had released new books and I could have read them weeks earlier. I am following to many authors to track them all by memory at this point and am looking for a good solution. It feels like this should exist and I just don't know about it yet. You would think a site like amazon or something would have something like this, or that there would be a phone app. Any tips of programs or sites to check out would be greatly appreciated! Thanks

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01-29-2010, 06:42 PM	#2
Pardoz Which side are you on? Posts: 370 Karma: 1964 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Variable, currently Czestochowa, Poland. Device: Kindle 2 Int'l	Amazon sorta-kinda does this, although I don't think you can pick a specific author (although if you've bought or rated a lot of work by that author you'll probably get notifications about them). Fictionwise will email you alerts about new releases from selected authors, but only for books available from Fictionwise - I'm sure other stores do the same. Similarly some publishers put out weekly or monthly newsletters of upcoming releases, but that only works if you know that [author]'s new book is coming out from [publisher]. A one-stop solution, ideally for both electronic and paper releases, would be really nice.

01-29-2010, 07:13 PM	#3
BeccaAnn Groupie Posts: 188 Karma: 660 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Spearfish, SD, USA Device: Sony PRS-505	The Sony will let you choose which author you would notification if an ebook is added to their store, but this won't help you since you have a Kindle. Before getting a Sony Reader, I would check Amazon about once a month for upcoming releases of my favorite authors. They were more up to date than author websites or publishers. Then I would write the release down in my daily planner, that way I knew when they were released and budget for them. This is just the low tech way, since I know of no technical way.

01-29-2010, 07:18 PM	#4
dioib ∂₪≈☼ Posts: 113 Karma: 550104 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: ιη.σιγ.ηιφι.κα	I'd heard there are some web services that notify you when a page changes. Assuming this is true, couldn't you give a certain author's books webpage (somewhere like Amazon) and get alerts on updates?

01-29-2010, 08:39 PM	#5
tapar Connoisseur Posts: 62 Karma: 1420 Join Date: Dec 2008 Device: Kindle Keyboard 3g, Kindle Paperwhite v1	I have been doing it by checking the author's pages on amazon, but I forgot to check some of my favorite authors. I tried google alerts, but I got too much info so it wasn't particularly useful. It seems like the stores/publishers/authors would want something like this out there too. I would say it might not affect people who don't read that many authors, but one of the books I missed was in a series I am very addicted too (write faster JD Robb!). It doesn't sound technically hard to do, I think the problem would be gathering the data itself. I could see store specific versions, though a generic version would be more useful. I snagged the sony store software and am trying to see what it offers in this area. It wouldn't be perfect as they don't have all the same books as amazon, but it would be better than nothing. Someone should write an android/iphone app or get GoodReads or Calibre to add the feature.

01-29-2010, 08:47 PM	#6
guyanonymous Guru Posts: 692 Karma: 27532 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Ebookwise 1150 / 1200	I've gotten in the habit of just checking fantasticfiction's list of new releases. I find it more comprehensive and convenient than Amazon most of the time. Of course, not all of those are ebooks, but I simply add them to my wish list.

01-29-2010, 09:13 PM	#7
dioib ∂₪≈☼ Posts: 113 Karma: 550104 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: ιη.σιγ.ηιφι.κα	Yep! I was about to say the same thing guyanonymous said; although I found it via google hitting this page (didn't know before).

01-30-2010, 04:32 AM	#8
Terisa de morgan Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,227 Karma: 11768331 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Madrid, Spain Device: Kobo Clara/Aura One/Forma,XiaoMI 5, iPad, Huawei MediaPad, YotaPhone 2	Thank you very much, I have the same problem, and although I try to check, there's always a mistake.

01-31-2010, 08:47 AM	#9
tapar Connoisseur Posts: 62 Karma: 1420 Join Date: Dec 2008 Device: Kindle Keyboard 3g, Kindle Paperwhite v1	Thanks for the fantasticfiction tips, I never thought to use the RSS feeds to get some clues. I still want an option that gives more control and differentiates between pre-order and release availability, but the FF site should make the manual tracking a bit easier. Thanks again!

01-31-2010, 10:14 AM	#10
ctol Groupie Posts: 152 Karma: 303523 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Arizona Device: Nook, Fire Tablet, Windows RT Tablet Windows Phone	tapar, you might check to see if either of these sites might be what you are looking for. http://www.crocodile.org/authorrss.html http://www.powells.com/info/notification.html

02-03-2010, 04:18 PM	#11
tapar Connoisseur Posts: 62 Karma: 1420 Join Date: Dec 2008 Device: Kindle Keyboard 3g, Kindle Paperwhite v1	Thanks for the suggestions! I wanted to pass one that I heard about over at goodreads. it is called http://www.crapimissedit.com/ and it lets you set an email address to be notified at when a particular author has new book info on amazon.com. It can also be configured to notify you about concerts, tv shows, ect. I am not sure how well it works yet or if it can tell the difference between a pre-order and an actual release...but it is a cool concept.

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02-03-2010, 04:24 PM	#12
guyanonymous Guru Posts: 692 Karma: 27532 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Ebookwise 1150 / 1200	Powells, though I've only visited once, remains my favorite bookstore. I loved how the new/used were mixed together, at least in the photography section I spent most of my time. Thanks for the link!